Newton Co. Sheriff resigns, new leader to be sworn in this week

By Amy Moore

Published 10:00 am, Sunday, November 11, 2012

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Behind claims of following the Texas Government Code, Newton County Sheriff Joe Walker said he does not have to appear at work as long as the job is being done. Since loosing the election, Walker has been present at work a couple days a month.
Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise less

Behind claims of following the Texas Government Code, Newton County Sheriff Joe Walker said he does not have to appear at work as long as the job is being done. Since loosing the election, Walker has been ... more

Newton Co. Sheriff resigns, new leader to be sworn in this week

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After losing a re-election bid earlier this year and now facing an investigation by the Texas Rangers, Newton County Sheriff Joe Walker has submitted his resignation, asking the county to let him leave office before his term is up at the end of the year.

Walker, who has served eight years as the sheriff, has only sparingly showed up for work since losing the primary in May to Eddie Shannon, who won last week's election for sheriff.

In an interview with The Enterprise last month, Walker said he was glad the voters retired him from his job as sheriff and said he had since taken a safety job in Port Arthur.

Walker did not return several phone calls from The Enterprise Friday.

County Judge Truman Dougharty said Walker requested in his letter that commissioners accept his resignation at their next meeting, which is scheduled for Wednesday.

Dougharty said "it makes common sense to me" for commissioners to accept Walker's resignation and name Shannon the interim sheriff until his term officially begins in January.

The county must also handle an investigation into Walker that was recently handed over to the District Attorney's office by the Texas Rangers.

Neither Shannon nor Doughtary could not comment on it, but Trooper Stephanie Davis said the investigation began in September and involves specifically Walker, not the sheriff's department as a whole.